headed out of the chemistry laboratory and into the electronics lab. "Jimmie," he shouted, "get a couple of stone jars and get an electrolysis outfit running. Fling the hydrogen out of a convenient outlet into space and collect the oxygen. Water, I mean. Use tap water, right out of the faucet."
"Yeah, but--" "Jimmie, if we don't breathe, what chance have we to go on drinking? I'll tell you when to stop."
"O.K., Doc," said Jimmie. "And look. As soon as you get that running, set up a CO_{2} indicator and let me know the percentage at the end of each hour! Get me?" "I take it that something has happened to the air plant?" "It isn't functioning," said Channing shortly. He left the puzzled Jimmie and headed for the beam-control room. Jimmie continued to wonder about the air plant. How in the devil could an air plant cease functioning unless it were--_dead_! Jimmie stopped wondering and began to operate on his electrolysis set-up furiously.
Channing found the men in the beam-control room worried and ill at ease. The fine co-ordination that made them expert in their line was ebbing. The nervous work demanded perfect motor control, excellent perception, and a fine power of reasoning. The perceptible lack of oxygen at this high level was taking its toll already.
"Look, fellows, we're in a mess. Until further notice, take five-minute shifts. We've got about thirty hours to go. If the going gets tough, drop it to three-minute shifts. But, fellows, keep those beams centered until you drop!"
"We'll keep 'em going if we have to call our wives up here to run 'em for us," said one man. "What's up?"
"Air plant's sour. Losing oxy. Got a shipload coming out from Terra, be here in thirty hours. But upon you fellows will rest the responsibility of keeping us in touch with the rest of the system. If you fail, we could call for help until hell freezes us all in--and no one would hear us!"
"We'll keep 'em rolling," said a little fellow who had to sit on a tall stool to get even with the controls.
Channing looked out of the big, faceted plexiglass dome that covered the entire end of the Venus Equilateral Station. "Here messages go in and out," he mused. "The other end brings us things that take our breath away." Channing was referring to the big air lock at the other end of the station, three miles away, right through the center. At the center of the dome, there was a sighting 'scope. It
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